French health authorities have confirmed the first known human case of the Shamonda virus (Shav) in a patient who died in early October. Officials have described the infection as an exceptional case involving a person with a severely weakened immune system and said there is currently no risk to the public.
The case has drawn attention because the virus was previously known to affect animals, with no human infections reported despite its circulation in parts of Africa and Asia for decades.
How the patient contracted the virus
According to France's Health and Agriculture ministries, the patient is believed to have contracted the virus through a midge bite in eastern France, BBC reported. The region had reported its first animal cases in the spring.
The patient was receiving treatment for a serious illness at a hospital in Lyon when neurological complications developed. Initial findings suggested these complications were "very likely linked" to the virus, the ministries said.
Authorities also highlighted the patient's weakened immune system, which may have increased their vulnerability to the infection.
"Until now, the Shamonda virus was considered non-transmissible to humans," the statement noted, adding that it had only been identified in animals "despite decades of circulation of the Shamonda virus in Africa and Asia".
What is the Shamonda virus?
Shamonda virus primarily affects cattle and spreads through the bites of infected midges. Infected dairy herds can develop symptoms such as fever and diarrhoea, while milk production may also decline.
The virus has also been detected in other animals, including sheep, goats, alpacas and horses. Until the French case came to light, human infections had not been documented.
Officials are investigating how the virus crossed over to a human, with the circumstances surrounding the infection still under examination.
ECDC monitors the situation as cases spread in Europe
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is working with French and other European partners to assess the "potential public health implications" of the case.
According to the agency, the first cases of Shamonda virus in Europe were identified in late July. Since then, infections have been reported among farm animals in several countries, including Ireland, Germany, Italy and Spain. The virus has also been detected in Jersey.
The human case has been reported to the World Health Organization as investigations continue into the infection and its possible implications.